Page 88 of Love so Hot

I say it out loud. "Marriage." The word tastes like a dare on my tongue. Willow and me, hitched for real? He wouldn't see that coming. And then what? If he tried to tell people our engagement was fake, he'd look like a fool.

"Beat you to the punch, Jason." A reckless smile tugs at my lips. It's crazy, impulsive. But it’s the kind of move that wins games or burns bridges.

"Willow's gonna kill me," I say, half-laughing, because she might actually try.

"Or she'll love it," I add, the idea growing roots. We're a pair of wildcards shuffled into life's deck. Might as well play the hand we're dealt.

"Here goes nothing." I stand up, square my shoulders. Time to lay it all on the line. For Willow, for the company, for me.

"Let's get married, Wildflower." The words are a vow, a battle cry, echoing off the bedroom walls. Now I just have to convince her.

Chapter Forty

Willow

I stare at my phone,the screen glowing accusingly in the dim light of my hemp-curtained room. River's number sits there, taunting me. I take a deep breath, my green hair falling into my eyes as I hit the call button. My heart does an annoying tap dance in my chest as it rings.

"Willow?" River's voice crackles through the speaker, a mixture of surprise and wariness.

"Hey, Riv," I say, trying to keep my voice steady. "Listen, we need to talk about the pipeline plans."

There's a pause, and I can practically hear the gears turning in his head. "What about them?"

I bite my lip, wondering how to phrase this without sounding like a total sellout. "I think... I think we need to call them off."

"What?" The shock in his voice is almost comical. Almost.

"Look, I know it sounds crazy, but?—"

"It's too late, Willow," River cuts me off, his voice hardening. "We can't back down now."

I flop back on my bed, frustration bubbling up inside me. Of course, he'd say that. River's about as flexible as a redwood tree when it comes to our causes.

"Riv, please," I plead, hating how desperate I sound. "Can't we just take a step back and rethink this?"

"Rethink what?" he snaps. "The fact that this pipeline is going to destroy ecosystems? Pollute water sources? Displace wildlife?"

I close my eyes, picturing River's intense green gaze boring into me. Even over the phone, his passion is palpable. It's one of the things I've always admired about him, but right now, it's making my job a whole lot harder.

"I know all that," I say, trying to keep my cool. "But maybe there's another way to fight this. One that doesn't involve, you know, potential jail time?"

River snorts. "Since when did you start worrying about jail time? The Willow I know would be right there on the front lines, chaining herself to a bulldozer."

His words sting more than I'd like to admit. Because he's right—that is the Willow he knows. The one I've been for years. But it's not the real me. Things are different now, aren't they? I've got a shot at making real change, even if it means playing nice with the enemy for a while.

"Things change, River," I say softly, twirling a strand of my dyed hair around my finger. "People change."

"Yeah," he replies, his voice cold. "I guess they do."

The silence that follows is heavy, loaded with unspoken accusations and disappointment. I want to explain, to make him understand why I'm doing this. But how can I when I'm not even sure myself?

River's breath crackles through the phone, and I can almost see him running his hand through that choppy, multi-colored hair of his.

"You know what?" he says, his voice rising. "I always thought you were different, Willow. That you actually gave a damn about our cause, not just some rich girl playing activist for kicks."

I flinch, his words hitting me like a slap. "That's not fair, River," I protest, my own anger flaring. "You know how much I care about this."

"Do I?" he shoots back. "Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you've traded your principles for a taste of the high life. What, did Daddy's trust fund finally run out?"

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